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Auckland city centre is pretty diverse, so much so that there might be a few spots you’ve haven’t quite managed to visit yet...
New Zealand’s premier international photography festival returns to the city centre, transforming familiar streets, galleries and public spaces into a vibrant celebration of visual storytelling. Expect an inclusive, thought-provoking programme designed to spark curiosity, encourage exploration, and invite you to see the city and photography in new ways.
Bringing together both emerging and established artists, the 2026 Festival (29 May – 14 June) features a dynamic mix of existing works and newly commissioned pieces. At its heart is Movement [Kori], a series of FREE outdoor, online and in-venue exhibitions woven throughout the city centre, making it easy to discover something new wherever you wander.
We’ve highlighted some standout exhibitions below, scroll down and start planning your city-centre art trail.
Auckland Photo Day 2026
Auckland Photo Day is a long‑running community engagement project run as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography. Participants - professionals, hobbyists, families, students, anyone with a camera or phone take photos during a designated 24‑hour period and submit them for judging and exhibition.
This year's contest is on Saturday 6 June 2026. Full Ts&Cs and prizes will be announced soon. Click here for more information.
In-Venue exhibitions
Digital Screening of 2025 Auckland Photo Day Entries
2 Freyberg Place | 1 - 14 JUN | 11AM - 1PM | Free
These images offer a small glimpse into the standout entries from the 2025 Auckland Photo Day - a first look at the creativity and stories captured across Auckland.
Studies for a Keepsake: Claude Cahun & Marcel Moore
Gus Fisher Gallery | 29 MAY - 22 AUG | 10AM - 4PM Tues & Fri | 10AM - 5PM Sat | Free
Through a rare focus on historic portraiture by two queer photographers, the exhibition features over seventy works and celebrates the enduring legacy of this collaborative duo who created some of the most defining portraits of the 20th century.
Discover more in-venue exhibitions, here.
Grab a bite in between
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Outdoor exhibitions
Zones of Immanence by Cathy Carter
Karanga Plaza | 29 MAY - 18 JUN | Free
Cathy Carter’s Zones of Immanence is an environmental series presented on outdoor lightboxes, created for the Festival’s Movement [Kori] theme. The works explore underwater environments as a “liquid space” that is both rooted in the natural world and transcendent of it.
Stages by Shen Chao-Liang
Te Komititanga Square | 29 MAY - 18 JUN | Free
Shen Chao‑Liang’s Stages is an outdoor exhibition showcasing his long‑running series on Taiwan’s mobile hydraulic stage trucks. Captured between 2005 and 2023, the images reveal these vibrant, transformer‑like stages in real environments across Taiwan, highlighting their cultural role in community celebrations.
The Tide's Gift II by Mayumi Suzuki
Silo Park | 26 MAY - 14 JUN | Free
This project uses photography to connect the past, present and future of Mayumi Suzuki’s hometown, Onagawa, which was once devastated by a tsunami. Though still evolving, she presents it as an ongoing series that invites us to consider how our surroundings are shaped by the memories of others, encouraging us to live with renewed integrity.
Discover more outdoor exhibitions, here.
Click here to see the full 2026 Auckland Festival of Photography programme.
Stay a little longer
Bespoke cocktail bar tucked away in Snickel Lane where timeless classics meet modern mixology and bold flavour pairings.
Hidden away on O'Connell Street, this unique hidden bar serves delicious, inventive small-batch cocktails.
Island Gelato prides itself on its inventive streak that leads to the creation of many unique unforgettable flavours.
Cinnamon rolls baked fresh daily, new to Victoria St West.
Hand crafting small batch ice cream in the Waikato since 2015
Restaurant Month offer: $30 for a Two Course Lunch or Dinner
More inspiration
Festival season is here
Enjoy two hours of free parking or $5 evening and weekend rates. Find out more.
Ride on public transport from as little as $2 each way. Find out more.
Last updated:
10 April 2026